Does it seem like your only option for younger-looking skin is a marathon session of fillers and facelifts? If you feel like you're pressed between a rock and really expensive cosmetic surgery, these seven powerful ingredients will prove that you don't have to resort to needles and invasive procedures to age gracefully.
Of course, no potion or cream can offer results as dramatic as going under the knife, but how close can they come? To find out, we talked to Dr. Kenneth Mark, M.D., cosmetic dermatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at New York University, and Dr. Joshua Zeichner, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. They outlined the spendy anti-aging procedures that work wonders on aging skin -- and the ingredients to look for in skin care products that can give you just as amazing results. What you don't know can age you; so learn about the most potent anti-aging ingredients skin care can offer now.
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To even skin tone ...
The fancy procedure: Fraxel laser, $850 per treatment The powerhouse ingredient: Hydroquinone, $50 to $90 in skin care products
A Fraxel laser is just one of the many new lasers available now that uses CO2 energy to stimulate your skin tissue, lightening brown spots, minimizing fine lines, erasing surgical scars, and generally evening out your skin tone. The recovery time is one to five days and the results last six to 12 months.
At-home option:
Hydroquinone is often the primary ingredient in lightening skin care products. It's used to bleach skin and prevents the production of melanin, which is responsible for skin's pigment and those brown spots. Using it on a daily basis can effectively reverse discoloration and dark spots over four weeks.
Botox injects a neurotoxin protein called botulinum toxin into muscles to block nerve impulses. This prevents muscle activity, which reduces that unbecoming (and aging) furrowed look. Within a few days you'll notice marked improvement in the lines between the brows, and the effects typically last anywhere from three to six months.
At-home option:
"Long-term use of retinoids helps maintain healthy skin and [helps skin] resist wrinkling when the muscles constrict -- it's the best alternative to Botox," says Zeichner. Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A, which is crucial for the body to make new skin tissue. It helps increase cell turnover rate and over the long-term, using retinoids can help thicken the skin, improving fine lines and wrinkles. The most common over-the-counter form of vitamin A is retinol, which is used in many skin care products, such as L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Clinical Repair 10 Day Treatment, $24.99. It uses clinical strength retinol to fight 10 signs of aging, including reducing wrinkles and restoring elasticity. In four weeks, women reported seeing smoother skin with improved firmness.
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To get glowing skin ...
The fancy procedure: Antioxidant Facial, $150 The powerhouse ingredient: Antioxidants, $20 to $40 in skin care products
The Antioxidant Facial starts with steam to open the pores, which helps deliver the ingredients used during the facial straight into the dermal layers. The patient will notice a more glowing, radiant complexion immediately and can repeat the facial once a month.
At-home option:
Antioxidants work to prevent damage to skin cells inflicted by free radicals, which come from ultraviolet exposure, says Zeichner. If you're using your cream in the evening, you're helping undo the damage that you sustained during the day from walking around in the sun. To get the full effects, look for antioxidant ingredients like coenzyme q10, green tea, polyphenols, vitamin C, and coffee berry extract in your skin care products.
Fillers like Juvederm and Restylane are clear, hyaluronic acid gels that are injected into the facial tissue to smooth out wrinkles and folds, particularly around the nose and mouth. By injecting the acid into the skin, the fillers help skin tissue hold more water, so skin looks plumper and younger. The procedure takes up to 45 minutes and the results are immediately noticeable and last from 9 months to a year.
At-home option:
Hyaluronic acid is responsible for our skin's elasticity, allowing it to "bounce back" after making an expression. Essentially, one of its main functions is to make it so that those smile lines and crow's feet don't become permanent. However, as we age, our body produces less hyaluronic acid. By applying this ingredient topically, the skin is better able to "bounce back" from a wrinkled state more easily. In fact, consumer studies show that L�Oreal Paris Revitalift Deep Set Wrinkle Collagen Wrinkle Treatment's breakthrough formula, which has collagen biospheres and hyaluronic acid, reduces crow's feet, forehead lines, and laugh lines by 20 percent.
Does it seem like your only option for younger-looking skin is a marathon session of fillers and facelifts? If you feel like you're pressed between a rock and really expensive cosmetic surgery, these seven powerful ingredients will prove that you don't have to resort to needles and invasive procedures to age gracefully.
Of course, no potion or cream can offer results as dramatic as going under the knife, but how close can they come? To find out, we talked to Dr. Kenneth Mark, M.D., cosmetic dermatologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at New York University, and Dr. Joshua Zeichner, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. They outlined the spendy anti-aging procedures that work wonders on aging skin -- and the ingredients to look for in skin care products that can give you just as amazing results. What you don't know can age you; so learn about the most potent anti-aging ingredients skin care can offer now.
